Optical printed circuit boards

Abstract

Disclosed herein are apparatuses that include a first layer that includes glass and a plurality of waveguides disposed in the glass; a second layer that includes a second layer polymer and a plurality of waveguides disposed in the second layer polymer; and a third layer that includes a third layer polymer and a plurality of waveguides disposed in the third layer polymer.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus comprising:
 a first layer comprising glass and a plurality of waveguides disposed in the glass; 
 a second layer comprising a second layer polymer and a plurality of waveguides that each comprise a cured second layer waveguide polymer, the cured second layer waveguide polymer being different from the second layer polymer and the plurality of waveguides being disposed in the second layer polymer; and 
 a third layer comprising a third layer polymer and a plurality of waveguides that each comprise a cured third layer waveguide polymer, the cured third layer waveguide polymer being different from the third layer polymer and the plurality of waveguides being disposed in the third layer polymer. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first layer is positioned between the second and third layers. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the first layer has a thickness from about 250 μm to about 600 μm. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first layer has a thickness with a variability of not greater than about ±10%. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first layer has a thickness with a variability of not greater than about ±1%. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the waveguides within each of the layers are parallel to the other waveguides in that layer for at least part of their lengths. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the first layer has two parallel rows of waveguides. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the horizontal pitch between any two adjacent waveguides is from about 50 μm to about 300 μm. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the horizontal pitch between any two adjacent waveguides is about 62.5 μm, about 125 μm, about 250 μm, or about 500 μm. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus has an exposed surface for use as a two dimensional optical interface for a data storage device. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the second or third layers comprises at least one passive alignment feature. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus according to  claim 11 , in which the second layer has one or more passive alignment features to enable registration or alignment of the apparatus with another component. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a copper core clad structure, bonding laminate, or both. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the apparatus is positioned between two copper core clad structures. 
     
     
       15. An apparatus comprising:
 a first layer having a first and second surface and comprising glass and two parallel rows of waveguides disposed in the glass, the first layer having a thickness from about 250 μm to about 600 μm with a variability in thickness of not greater than about ±10%; 
 a second layer positioned adjacent the first surface of the first layer and comprising a second layer polymer and a row of waveguides that each comprise a cured second layer waveguide polymer, the cured second layer waveguide polymer being different from the second layer polymer, the cured second layer waveguide polymer having a higher index of refraction than the second layer polymer and the row of waveguides being disposed in the second layer polymer; and 
 a third layer positioned adjacent the second surface of the first layer and comprising a third layer polymer and a row of waveguides that each comprise a cured third layer waveguide polymer, the cured third waveguide polymer being different from the third layer polymer, the cured third waveguide polymer having a higher index of refraction than the third layer polymer and the plurality of waveguides being disposed in the third layer polymer. 
 
     
     
       16. The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein the two rows of waveguides in the first layer each have at least 16 waveguides and the second layer and third layer each have at least 16 waveguides. 
     
     
       17. A method of forming an apparatus, the method comprising
 providing a first layer, the first layer comprising glass and having a first and second surface; 
 forming optical waveguides in at least one surface of the first layer; 
 forming a first polymer waveguide on the first surface of the first layer by at least depositing and curing a first polymer and depositing and at least partially curing a second polymer, such that the second polymer has a refractive index when cured that is higher than the first polymer; and 
 forming a second polymer waveguide on the second surface of the first layer. 
 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the step of forming a first polymer waveguide comprises:
 removing the uncured portions of the second polymer; 
 depositing a third polymer, the third polymer having a refractive index when cured that is lower than the second polymer; and 
 curing at least a portion of the third polymer; and 
 
       the step of forming a second polymer waveguide comprises:
 depositing a fourth polymer; 
 curing the fourth polymer; 
 depositing a fifth polymer, the fifth polymer having a refractive index when cured that is higher than the fourth polymer; 
 curing portions of the fifth polymer; 
 removing the uncured portions of the fifth polymer; 
 depositing a sixth polymer, the sixth polymer having a refractive index when cured that is lower than the fifth polymer; and 
 curing at least a portion of the sixth polymer. 
 
     
     
       19. The method according to  claim 18 , wherein only a portion of the third polymer is cured and removing at least a portion of the uncured third polymer to provide mechanical access to an alignment feature or wherein only a portion of the sixth polymer is cured and removing at least a portion of the uncured sixth polymer to provide mechanical access to an alignment feature. 
     
     
       20. The method of  claim 18 , wherein one or more of the first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth polymers may be the same.